Motor-truck-drive mechanism



June 3, 1930. A. R. LE MOON I MOTOR TRUCK DRIVE MECHANISM' Filed July 2, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 `lune 3, 1930.

A. R. LE MOON MOTOR TRUCK DRIVE MEGHANISM File July 2, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 Mii 7263566 x Patented. June 3, 1930* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AXEL'R. LE MOON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NELS-ON-LE-MOON TRUCK u- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS Mo'roa-'rBUcx-Dmvn uEcHANIsM Application mea July 2, 192s. serial No. 259,810.

ThisV invention relates to `four-wheel drive constructions for motor vehicles. The purpose of the invention-is mainly to avoid the use of complicated constructions, expensive ljoints, mechanism which is subject to undue wear or likely to require earl replacements.

It is therefore an object -of the invention to simplify drive mechanism of this class and while providing an arrangement for supporting the vehicle on the drive unit which allows for the necessary vertical oscillation of the drive axle housings, prevents any turning movement of the housings and. transmits the thrust from the driven wheels without giving, provision is also made for all the necessary flexibility or torsional movement of this mechanism when one axle housing oscillates laterally with respect to the other due to the wheels running over inequalities in the roadl surface. l

The objects are accomplished by a construction as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved drive unit showing the axle housing in section and the vehicle frame partly. broken away.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view ofthe mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail taken on the. line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional 4--4 of Fig. 1.

The generalfeatures of the construction illustrated aside from a standard arran ement of drive yaxles and housings there or and means'for driving the drive axles, not shown, and the vehicle frame supported thereon are leaf springs centrally secured to the frame with theirends slidabl resting upon the drive axle housings, paral el links above and below the housings but attached thereto by transversely extending pivots. Also connected to one of the housings by transverse pivots above .and below the housings are a air of links or thrust bars connecting the housings with vertically spaced transverse pivots on the vehicle frame. The 'links and thrust bars'are formed of steel and so shaped as to allow for torsional or twisting motion thereof when one wheel rises or falls with detail taken on the line Connections to respect to the Aremaining wheels due to uneven- `ness of the road surface. The parallelogram arrangement of the links connecting the frame and both of the axle housings permits one housing to move upwardly or downwardly with respect to the other housinug while preventing either housing from turning on its axis.

Referring to the drawings, only one side of the vehicleis shown as the opposite side is a duplication thereof. The vehicle frame 1 is provided withbrackets 2 on its sides which pivotally support at 3 and 4 the thrust bars 5 and 6. 'The bars 5 and 6 extend from the transverse pivots 3 and 4 on the brackets 2 to transverse pivot members 7 and 8 inthe brackets 9 and 10 which are rigidly clamped by bolts 11 to the forward drive axle housing 12. These thrust bars 5 and 6 with their brackets 2 and the housing 12 form a parallelogram which permits the housing to move upwardly and downwardly without turning on its axis. The bars 5 and Glare so proportioned as to allow for the required torsional resilience when one of the Wheels 13 mounted thereon is caused to move upwardly or downwardly with respect to the other due to lunevenness in the road surface. The rear axle housing 14 also carries clamped thereto, the upwardly and downwardly extending bracket Vmembers 15 and 16 which carry pivots 17 vand 18 for the links 19 and'20 which at their forward ends are mounted upon the pivots 7 and 8 carried by brackets 9 and 10 on the forward Vaxle housing. The links 19 and 20 together with the axle housings and brackets thereon form a parallelogram which prevents one housingfrom turning on its axis with respect to the other but allows for relative vertical motion of the axle housings. The rear springs 21 of the vehicle are centrally supported on the frame 1 by clamping means 22 which connect the springs to a tie eov bar 23,extending between the side members of frame 1. The clamping means 22 includes a casting 24 which is free to oscillate with the spring around the-tie bar 23 but is prevented from moving along the tie bar by nut 25. The casting 24 has upstanding flanges 26 closely fitting the sides of the spring 1n order to prevent any lateral shifting thereof. The free ends of the springs .slidably rest upon the curved surfaces 27 and 28 of the brackets 9 and 15 between the upwardly extending ears thereof. This arrangement of the springs, without shackle connections, allows for the required motion between the same and the axle housing when the latter move up or down. If one axle housing moves up and the other one down, the spring as anwhole may.- oscilla'te around its supporting member 23. The spiings 21 serve to preventundue lateral f motion of the axle housings as the vends of the springs are located between the upstanding ears on the brackets 9 and 15 rigid with the housings but a space 29 (Fig. 4) is preferably'provided between the ends of the springs and the ears on brackets 9 and 15V y to allow slight lateral motion of the axle functions.

housings in order thaty the wheels may track more easily upon making a turn. Lateral motion of the drive unit is further restrained by links 6 which for -this purpose may be slightly pitched inwardly toward the front of thev vehicle as indicated in Fig. 2.l The more or less horizontal plane withi which the links 6 lie is parallel with the pl ne of links 5.

From the foregoing it may be seen that the weight of the vehicle through the springs, 21 rests upon the rear axle housings and that by the simple linkage arrangement between the housings and the frame, the axles are maintained at right angles to the length of the truck and that the driving eii'ect of the xwheels is transmitted directly through the -links to the frame and that oscillation of the axle housings on their axes is prevented. Usually more complicated and expensive constructions are employed for performing these In fthe operation of the drive mechanism described, thedriving elect of the wheels is transmitted through the housings 12 and 14, links 19 and 20 and the links 5 and 6 to the vehicle frame. This linkage provides for a fixed relationship between the axle housings and between the latter and the machine frame in a longitudinal direction but dueto the resilience of the linkage to torsional or twisting strains thereon one axle housing may move upwardlywith respect to the other ormay tilt y laterally with respect to the machine but canv not turn on its axis.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departin from the spirit of this invention as-dened y the followingclaims.

I claim: y

1. A vehicle frame, drive axlel housings horizontally spaced apart beneath said frame and connected together by parallel links above and below said housings and pivoted thereto at their ends,""parallel links extending fromvertically spaced pivots on said frame to pivotal connections with one of said housings, and a leaf spring centrally secured to said frame and having its ends slidably bearing on said axle housings.

2. A vehicle frame, drive. axle housings horizontally spaced apart beneath said frame and connected together by parallel links above and below said housings and pivoted thereto at their ends, parallel links extending from vertically spaced pivots 'on said frame to pivotal connections with one of said housings, and a leaf spring extended between said axle housings and centrally secured to said frame.

3. A vehicle frame, -drive axle housings horizontally spaced apart beneath said frame and connected together by parallel links above and below said housings and pivoted thereto at their ends, parallel links extendsy ,below said housings and pivotally connected a to the upper and lowerside of one of said housings and at their opposite ends being connected with vertically spaced pivot members on said frame. Y

.5. In a vehicle, a frame structure, a plurality of drive axle housings horizontally spaced apart beneath said frame, springs between said frame and axle housings, torsionally resilient parallel A`links above and below said axle housings and connecting said housings, pivotal connections between said links and housings at the upper and ylower sides of said housings, vertically spaced pivots on said frame, and torsionally resilient parallel links extending from'said pivots on the frame to connections with one of said drive axlev housings.

Signed at Chicago this 28th dayoi June,

1928. AXEL R. LE MOON. 

